"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of Netflix and off various columns highlighting new movies as well.

Blurb from Netflix:
Sam’s frequent tantrums turn sinister when a creepy children’s book
mysteriously appears in his room, and he asks his mother, “Do you want to die?”

Selina’s Point of View:

I enjoyed The Babadook.

This film seemed to start slow, but it was really a simmering
burn that caused the thrills that came later to be more effective. It didn’t
rely on jump scares at all. I have a feeling Alfred Hitchcock would have liked The Babadook, if only on the merit of
its successful suspense.

There were some minor issues I had, but when I found out
this was Jennifer Kent’s (The New
Adventures of Black Beauty, Babe: Pig in the City, Murder Call) first time
writing or directing a full length feature film, it began to make sense.

As a first film goes, The
Babadook was extraordinary. The issues I noted had to do with the ending
and the camera angles. I recognize them now as novice mistakes, which makes
them less of an issue.

The acting was great, even from young Noah Wiseman (Funny or Die Presents, Spaghetti, The Gift).
He did have some of that over-acting, strange facial expression stuff that
child actors tend to have, but it wasn’t so bad that it pulled me out of the
story.

I might watch The
Babadook again if it happened to be on, though I wouldn’t really seek it
out for a second showing. What I do want to see is how Jennifer Kent evolves as
a director/writer. I look forward to whatever her next project might be.

Cat’s Point of View:

This movie was unsettling and disturbing on a few levels.

Something is still lingering with me, even now, the day
after I watched the film.

That, however, is one of the earmarks of a horror movie that
has done its job well, right? This one nailed it.

I woke up in the middle of the night and nearly jumped out
of my skin. (It’s a minor miracle that this happened quietly, and that I didn’t
shriek loud enough to wake the neighbors.)

I had some dark clothing draped over the handle bars of my
exercise bike at the foot of my bed; producing a “shadow creature” in
silhouette against the faint light from the windows beyond.

For me, the psychological aspect of the thrills from
suspense and subtlety digs in and lingers to haunt me better than any image
from flashy and expensive special effects. It’s one of those love-hate side
effects of a vivid imagination.

Noah Wiseman surprised me with his performance as young
Samuel. This was his first movie role, and he knocked it out of the park. I
thought, surely, I’d see a slew of projects in his film credits – even if they
were titles only released overseas, but there are only 4 starting with The Babadook. If he chooses to continue
with acting, I see great things in his future if he can avoid the pitfalls that
tend to ensnare child actors.

This movie was highly deserving of all of its accolades
(mostly in Australia and internationally); and, frankly, should have received
more recognition here. Though, such is often the case with independent
“foreign” films.

For your bit of fun trivia; The Babadook popup book was published in a limited run. Copies were
available for $80.00; and some of them were autographed by the writer/director,
Jennifer Kent (The Well, Babe: Pig in the
City, Preservation). The book includes extra pages and tidbits that did not
appear in the movie.

Don’t be looking for a sequel, though. Kent owns the rights
and has stated for public record that she will not be revisiting this story.
This isn't a tale that needs a franchise - I think it's fabulous standing on
its own.

Blurb from Netflix:
When 14-year-old genius and outcast Eli Pettifog is rejected from Harvard, he
ends up at Ivy League wannabe Whittman College. It’s hate at first sight. At
Whittman, Eli meets 41-year-old freshman Leo Searly.

Selina’s Point of View:

I’m not sure what I expected from HairBrained, but it wasn’t what I got.

What I got was a basic sports-recipe by way of a trivia
contest that was mixed with something not totally unlike The New Guy (2002). It was a decent recipe and not a terrible movie…
but I’m a little disappointed.

I expect more from indie films.

Indie films have their pitfalls. They usually have lower
budgets, less-known actors, and first time writers/directors that haven’t had
time to grow. However, they have a lot of benefits, too. Indie movies don’t have
to play it safe because they don’t answer to a big company. No one’s throwing
millions of dollars into making those films, so they’ve got less to lose and
everything to gain.

What would Clerks (1994)
be like if Kevin Smith had just copy and pasted a random recipe into it? What
about Pulp Fiction (1994)? What would
Pulp Fiction, arguably the best indie
film in existence, be like if Quentin Tarantino had just decided to play it
safe?

Recipe films are for the big-budget production companies
that play it safe to save money.

HairBrained wasn’t
a bad movie, but I feel like it could have been remarkable if the people in
charge had taken more risks with what they had. The few risks they did take
paid off big time and became very memorable.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe it was enough.

Cat’s Point of View:

For those that judge by the cover – beware. This movie is
not about misfits that bond over tennis, as the poster suggests.

This movie is odd, quirky, likable, and unexpected.

I loved that this film was about a genius kid and his smart
friends – and yet, doesn’t even try to get too cerebral. In fact, this movie
thumbs its nose at pretentious snobbery.

While it does follow a bit of a predictable recipe in some
places, I like that it was still marching to the beat of its own drum. Sure,
the underdog competition story has been told a million times in different ways
– from team sports to singing competitions – though, this movie managed to find
a seldom used niche of that genre.

I think I’ve said it before – I love Brendan Fraser (The Last Time, Standoff, The Nut Job).
He has a remarkable ability to blend goofy with sincerity. Though, sometimes
his roles go way over the top on the goofy side until sometimes it’s a bit
ridiculous. This is not the case here. There’s a good balance with his
character between the immature humor and a sizable dose of wisdom.

Alex Wolff (The Naked
Brothers Band, The Sitter, Coming Through the Rye) was a brilliant
straight-man for this film. His delivery was so deadpan; it was beautiful. I
haven’t seen any of his other work, but I am now inclined to look something
else up – just to see how he handles a different type of role.

I think this movie has a lot to offer, is highly enjoyable,
and I’d gladly recommend it.